Between Now and Destiny
by SilverontheRose
Summary: Who knew that an unplanned trip to a New York police station and twenty-four hours was all destiny needed to reorder so many lives? Steve/Kagome. I do not own or claim anything that is property of Rumiko Takahashi or Marvel.
1. Chapter 1

Between Now and Destiny

Chapter One

* * *

Kagome Higurashi, once-upon-a-time time traveler, was now a time traveler in an entirely different sense. Twenty-eight years had passed since she had won her freedom from the void, and she was now in a New York police station arguing with a truant officer about her school status. He had to be the one cop on the beat who didn't buy the 'Asians always look young' story she'd been giving out since having to leave Japan.

Shine patrons had started to comment on her never-aging face twenty-two years ago, and finally Mama had set her down and told her to travel. _"Kagome, we love you dearly. But I worry more now than I did when you were in the Warring States era. I've noticed a couple of strangers who keep checking in every couple of months..."_ she shook her head, _"They mean you no good. If I can get you smuggled out, will you promise to travel? Stay among those who will discount your youthfulness as part of your heritage, and never stay long? I can face Amida, so long as I've kept you free."_

Kagome ran her hand through her hair, and asked the officer, "How can I prove I'm not skipping school? You all have already searched my backpack. I don't have an ID or Social Security card because my wallet was stolen this morning." And the kid who took it was in for a surprise. She'd learned a few tricks in the past couple of decades, especially when it came to her possessions.

In the meanwhile, though, she was dead broke. That ID was brand new, bought from a very expensive, very good dealer only a week ago. So she'd had to walk to work this morning instead of riding the bus, which had brought her to the attention of a grumpy truant officer and her current predicament. Thankfully, over two decades of traveling had nearly eradicated her accent, or she was sure this cop would be calling Immigration next.

Officer Kincaid looked at her skeptically. "Is there anyone who can vouch for you?" He wasn't impressed when she buried her head in her hands and let out a muffled groan. _I'm surprised he still holds a badge, much less is alive... talk to some of the teenagers from the neighborhood he picked me up in the way he's doing, they'll kill you for the hell of it._

"No, Officer. As I said, I moved here just three months ago." She stated once again, making sure no hint of sarcasm escaped. If he wanted, he could ruin her life even further than he had. "I'd only had that job a couple of days but, as you arrested me in the kitchen, I'm sure that not only am I fired but they will deny ever even knowing me." _And I highly doubt you'd take the word of most of the people I'm around, not that I'd bring them to a cop's attention._

She rubbed her hands over her tired face, fighting the urge to pin the officer with a hard stare and make him quake in his boots. She was unsurprised that he nodded in agreement. The restaurant was on the border of a small, insular, mixed Asian community and the ganglands; bringing cops to the door of your establishment was highly discouraged on either side.

_Heck, don't even know if I can carry on my apprenticeship with Master Li,_ she worried. Many of the people who relied on the ancient healing arts still believed in magic... and everyone in that little community believed in discretion when it came to foreigners and authority figures. She'd have a much easier life there... the apothecary's certification was for life and her timeless face would be an asset, especially for those who still believed.

Master Li, a highly revered eighty-four-year-old practitioner of Chinese medicine, hadn't wanted to take a Japanese apprentice at first, but she had kept asking. He had even gone so far as to order her out of his shop several times. The turning point had come when she had come in and noticed the signs of severe pain in his face and body language.

Instead of speaking, she selected several herbs from the main stock, and quietly requested a couple of very rare items. After paying for them, she took a small mortar and pestle made of jade from her pack. She carefully crushed the ingredients into a fine paste while chanting an ancient and, unknown to her, lost sutra, a miniscule amount of her power snaking easily through the semi-precious stone into the mix.

Carefully scraping every last bit of the medicine into a disposable container, she told him to mix a fingertip's worth in hot water and drink it, while she went in the back to clean up the utensils she used. She had no desire to poison herself or anyone she might treat after all, and that's what would happen if the implements weren't cleaned immediately. Sango had taught her this one, as they had needed stronger pain relief than what she could lay her hands on occasionally, but also so she could recognize a poisoned cup.

Returning to the front of the store, she put everything back in her pack and bowed to him, warning him to not drink it more than four times, and to dispose of the toxic medicine and cup after twenty-four hours. She then turned to leave, saddened that she'd come too late to do more than offer pain relief. He was very good at concealing his illness.

A cleared throat and a small, decisive _click_ had her turn back: an ancient handwritten scroll had been placed on the counter and slightly unrolled. Relieved, and smiling inwardly as she recognized a test, she made her obeisance to Master Li and then to the scroll before stepping up to it, hands behind her back, and intently reading what she could see in perfect silence. Ten minutes passed, fifteen, and then finally, twenty-four minutes later, he asked what she had learned so far. Bowing to him, she responded, "I learned that I am still a foolish girl, as I did not remember my gloves. One never knows when wisdom will present itself, therefore one should always be prepared for it."

_Miroku would be so proud of her..._

"You have a diploma?" the cop asked, bringing her attention back to the here and now. A clamor had started up in the front, but everyone ignored it, surreptitiously watching the drama unfolding as the officer relentlessly grilled her.

"No," she explained. "I had to drop out to work, never had the time and money to go back." All true, and a perfect lie, nothing to catch a sharp-eared cop's attention.

Another cop two desks over called out, "Kincaid, just cut her loose. She ain't lied once and you know it. It'll be a shitty thing if she's lost her job just cause you're pissed we had'ta man the desks instead of seeing Captain America with the rest of the squad."

"Shut it, Jenks," Kincaid snapped. The noise at the front had diminished, and their disagreement was loud in the silence. Even the inveterate gossips stilled at the argument, eyes on the new visitors.

Kagome looked up, surprised to see a man in a skintight blue suit with wings on the cap and a large star on the chest standing in the middle of the room, a red and white circular shield on one arm. A stray memory of Inuyasha flashed through her head, softening her eyes in memory as she looked at the oddly-dressed man who's image had been splashed all over the world for several months now, along with a handful of others. _We gave Inuyasha hell over his garish clothing... at least he'd had a perfect excuse._ _Fire rat fur doesn't take dye at all._

She was a bit startled when he came over to them, his eyes slightly narrowed. The force of his personality was like a punch, his ki making her feel uneasy. She tried to examine it, endeavoring to slip into a trance without it being obvious she wasn't paying attention to her captors.

_Human, but more. I feel youki... but too much for a descendant._ Youkai had all left for another realm hundreds of years ago, their reasons unknown to her. The blood would have been all but bred out by now. _And anyways, it's twisted in some way. Unnatural. _She came out of her trance to hear him speaking to the cop about her.

"...Officer," he said, leaving her to wonder what had been said that had Kincaid at attention. "So that's all she's done? No record, no illegal behavior, just an overly young-looking woman walking to work?" He had a warm, pleasingly low-pitched voice, and it was obvious he was used to command. Her fingers twitched, and she wondered what he'd do if she slipped the hood off to see his features better.

"Captain America! Sir," Officer Kinkaid stood at attention, stumbling over his words while trying to defend his actions. She would have laughed, if it wouldn't cause her more trouble later. "She's a truant, sir; there's no way this girl could be eighteen. We're just have to find out which school, as she won't tell us."

She made a mou of displeasure at that. It was true that she wasn't eighteen, but imagine the shock if Officer Kincaid was to find she was actually forty-four. "Actually, I was just about to clock into work when this officer, who followed me into the kitchen of the restaurant I worked at, arrested me for truancy. I am of age; however my wallet was stolen and I have no other ID."

The superhero, as the newspapers touted him, looked at her intensely as she spoke, weighing her words and observing her body language. He nodded, as if coming to a decision, and spoke again to Kincaid. "Will you release her into my custody, officer? I imagine the police force has more important things to spend their time on. I will stand surety for her, and investigate the matter. If she's underage, she'll go back to school. If not, then Miss, I'll help you get another job."

As Kincaid began to ramble about her good luck, she tried valiantly to look like she was honored. _Of all the... just how many people in New York, and I have to attract the attention of one of the few who could blow my cover out of the water._ _Somewhere, a god must be laughing._

~oOo~

When she mentioned that their destination was a small neighborhood that required passing through some very rough claimed territory, he took a look at the car and his clothes and had the driver pull into a service station. The clean-cut all-American guy that emerged from the gas station restroom was a pleasant surprise. He smiled at the look on her face. "I imagine tights would be the wrong thing to wear, if we want to get in and out without a fight. I've been told this is a dangerous area. If you don't mind a walk, Miss Mikosama, I'd like to let Sebastian take the limo home."

She agreed, smiling brightly. His old-fashioned manners were charming, and she wished more people were like him. _Americans are so intimate with strangers,_ she thought, appreciating his reserve. _Its nice to find one that knows how to be courteous. He's still a bit more relaxed than my people, but it is a pleasant compromise._

They walked through the dirty streets, Kagome occasionally pointing out a landmark. They had almost gotten to her neighborhood when a group of toughs walked up to them. Recognizing one of them, she laid a hand on Captain Rogers' arm, looking up to him and giving a slight nod as he let the tension in his muscles drain away.

"Roberto," she greeted the teen in the front. "I hope your family is well."

He shifted his stance, arms crossed, slightly leaning back as if he had a wall behind him, the machismo thick in the air. He gave a crooked smile. "My Maria, she told me if I saw you again to tell you she lights a candle to the Virgin for you every week. My son, he's healthy now, fat as can be. You couldn't recognize him from his baby pictures." He swaggered up to her, handing over a photo. "Been carrying that for a while, knew I'd run into you sometime or another."

She looked at the cherubic face in the picture, noting the bright eyes and pain-free cracker-smeared grin. Showing it to Captain Rogers, she happily gushed over the boy. "I'm so glad he's doing better, Roberto. He's going to have all the ladies after him when he's older."

Rogers agreed, "You have a fine son there."

"All thanks to Lady K. He spit up everything, was skinny as a matchstick. The damn doctors told us he'd get better after surgery, but wanted ten percent up front and postdated checks to cover the rest." He spat, a bitter look crossing his face. "Like someone like me can waltz into a bank and not get kicked out. But then Maria ran into the Lady here. She had him fixed up in a week."

Kagome simply smiled, offering him the photo back.

"Nah, that's for you. Glad to see you've got some muscle with you, hate to have to break some heads if someone hurt you." His grin showed every bit of his insincerity. "See ya 'round, Lady K."

Watching the toughs walk back to their stoop, Steve said, "I see you live an interesting life." The woman by his side didn't answer, just gave him an enigmatic half-smile. He looked around, this place more foreign to him than any country he'd been to during the war. So much had changed in seventy years, sometimes he didn't know if he could change with it. Suddenly aware his charge had moved on during his introspection, he hurried to catch up.

~oOo~

As she feared, Master Li had heard of her arrest. "Kagome," he said, a saddened look on his face. "Had you only remained inconspicuous for a few years... you know no one will have anything to do with you now."

She hung her head, inhaling deeply and mastering her disappointment before she looked back up. "They won't, will they? I'm new, have no family to offend, and I wouldn't be surprised if that cop starts to keep an eye on me..." She let out a single weary huff and turned to the young American. Master Li looked at the two and was suddenly hit with a _knowing_.

Li inspected the wide-eyed young man who had brought her in as he curiously looked over the shop's wares. He was unaware of the supernatural, as most were in these days of science, unlike the very special woman in front of him. "Kagome," he said quietly, catching her attention. Motioning to her, he went to a special counter, kept free of clutter and covered with a heavily embroidered square of cloth. He drew a small pouch from his waistband and handed it to her.

"Infuse them, servant of the gods, and we will see what the bones say." She looked at him, a warning flash of danger in her eyes. He patted her hand, nodding to her with a wise look. "You need guidance, child, or you will flounder. You have been made into something that only the gods can understand; not even Confucius in all his wisdom foresaw one such as you. Now, the bones."

Taking a deep breath, she released a tendril of ki into the bones. The pouch flared with symbols, and she handed them back to him. She closed her eyes, pulling into that calm space within her as the bones clattered and clacked. All sound ceased except for Captain Rogers' pacing, until finally Master Li spoke. "You are needed once again. The angry one hurts; without the god-touched, his rage will overwhelm him and seek to destroy all that tortures him."

She looked at him, and he quickly hid the thrill of terror he felt looking into her darkened eyes. Her cool mask was quickly replaced though, the steel in her hidden again. His heart swelled, awed that such a warrior had crossed his path in this modern age. There were no questions in those eyes, the impassive, dangerous gray-blue of a winter ocean. She would do her duty and do it well. Scooping the bones into their bag, he bowed low to her, adding, "There are answers waiting for you as well, Kagome. I believe you might even find what you seek."

She bowed back, a dangerous hope blossoming in her heart even as she became aware that they had caught Captain Rogers' attention.

Scooping the bones into their bag, Master Li spoke up again. "Come, Kagome. I have a parting gift for you, as well as something that belongs to you." He shuffled to the main counter and withdrew the scroll he had shown her the day he accepted her.

"You do not need me as much as you believe. Your first master taught you well. I have never seen a youth so well versed in the ancient healing practices, and I sorrow at losing you. This scroll, though, will complete your education." His eyes had a wealth of meaning in them. "I despaired of finding a worthy successor for these arts, and thought to destroy them the day you came and proved yourself to me. But now I can rest in the assurance I have completed the task the gods have asked of me."

With no small amount of gratitude she accepted the scroll and the responsibility that came with it. By giving her the original, he had declared her the chosen heir of his knowledge, something more valuable than his certification. She couldn't wait to study the parts she had yet to read.

Master Li then pulled out a plain wallet, with a little kitsune charm dangling from it. "And, surprisingly, a terrified young man came into the shop this morning. He begged me to take the cursed item he had stolen..." The two looked at each other, perfectly understanding what wasn't said.

Knowing what she was about to do would possibly have severe repercussions should she ignite the interest of the man behind her, but owing at least this much to the healer, she carefully laid the scroll on the counter and pulled out three slips of carefully trimmed washi she habitually carried. "That curse takes time we don't have, Master Li, but I do have a small thing for you."

Taking the brush and ink Master Li offered, she confidently wrote a series of ancient kanji down the paper. Setting aside her brush, she picked up the new sutra, and concentrated. With a short prayer, the kanji fluoresced, power flickering over the paper. One, she immediately gave to Master Li, happy when he suddenly straightened, the pain from his cancer mollified. The other two she laid on the counter for him to use later, silently praying that his suffering didn't last longer than it needed to.

"Wrap the other two in silk against the time that one fails, your touch will trigger them." She bowed very low and made a promise, one that meant much to the dying man. "Time never forgets, eternal memories are kept in scent and smoke."

His eyes shone damply and he blotted at them with his sleeves. As they opened the door to leave, he called out, "Thank you, beloved child. I wish you and your friends luck, Captain."

Steve paused and inclined his head, accepting the well-wishes; his brain working overtime. She was definitely no truant schoolchild. There was a little of their conversation that he couldn't hear, mainly when the elderly man had told her fortune, but he'd what he'd heard and _seen_ was enough to make him eye the small woman with curiosity. He held his tongue, though, simply asking where she lived.

She shook her head, motioning to the large pack she carried. "I'm a traveler. There's little of importance in this life that you can't fit in a backpack."

Remembering all the times he lived from his rucksack, he agreed with her, at least mostly. "But it is nice to have a place to call your own."

He regretted his words as her face became melancholy. _Ninety-plus years old, and still have no clue how to speak to a woman. You are an utter idiot_, he chided himself. "If you have no place to stay tonight, you could stay with me." His cheeks reddened, mortified at his slip of the tongue. "I don't mean _with_ me, I meant at my place." He rambled on, feeling he was digging himself further into a hole with each word.

"Actually, its not _my_ place, Stark owns it, but he built it for the Avengers, so we all have places in it... I'm sure Agent Romanoff wouldn't mind you staying in one of her rooms..."

Kagome placed her fingertip against his mouth. "If there is an open room, and your friends won't object to a stranger staying in their sanctuary, then I would be most grateful for your offer."

Steve smiled, the warmth of her fingertip against his lips doing strange things to his heart.

~oOo~

When they turned into his building, she became wary. _Large, high tech, and watched by hidden surveillance teams covering the road and parking garage..._ She had the passing thought that she shouldn't be able to fall into war vigilance so quickly, but shrugged it off. If it was there, she'd need it. If only she had her Asuzazan bow! It had not come out of the void with her, so she had no idea what could have become of it.

She wondered for a moment if this was all a set up, but decided to hope she was still a decent judge of character. She turned to look at him, attention caught by him running his fingers through his hair.

"I, ah, haven't ever brought anyone back with me before... hm... they're good people, well, Stark can drive you insane..." He huffed, trying to get the right words together as he paid the taxi driver and signed a quick autograph.

Turning to her and offering his arm, he continued, "Just, please, ignore any teasing. You can get a good, safe night's sleep, and we'll look into the job issue tomorrow, if you don't mind Miss Mikosama. And ignore Tony if he comes through. He's got a quick mouth and is a terrible lech, but otherwise he's a decent guy."

She was amused and touched, so she said nothing as she took his arm and they walked through the privacy gate. She _liked_ this gentleman. And who was she to turn her nose up at the chance to meet these incredible people, even without Master Li's foretelling. They were probably the only people who could hear her story and not think her mad.

That's not to say she'd be blabbing her life story anytime soon, even if she was supposed to be here among them. It was very obvious she was being moved according to a higher will. Meeting Captain America at a small inner city police station he wasn't even supposed to be at was about as subtle as being pulled down a dry well that had suddenly turned into a time portal.

After all, if she _was_ needed by the world once again, what better way to meet 'the angry one' than by staying with the Avengers, even if they were a bunch of people who went about their lives like comic book heroes?

She softly smiled. _Well, one might say I was a manga heroine once upon a time... _

* * *

Almost all I know of Chinese culture comes from the novelists Pearl S. Buck and Robert Van Guelik, both of whom I highly recommend. Imperial Chinese literature has some constants; Taoists are strange, old, and wealthy, Buddhists are thieves and leches (yes, Miroku is a perfect characterization of ancient Chinese tales), and Confucianists are wise, noble, and all a perfect Chinese gentleman should be... which is the feel I wanted for Master Li. Her promise to him was a haiku, promising to burn incense in his memory for the rest of her life, very important to a culture that practices ancestor worship. (Consider my complete disregard for Communism's changes to Chinese culture poetic license.)

This is my first try at a multi-chapter actiony-drama-romance... I'm usually an angst and comedy writer. I have completely finished it (except for edits), so you won't be left hanging. I hope you enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

Between Now and Destiny

Chapter Two

* * *

Steve opened the door to the Avengers' tower for Kagome, the officer at the security desk coming to attention as they approached him. "Bill Matthews, this is my guest Kagome Mikosama," he said, introducing the two.

The security guard nodded, his face impassive even as he wondered why the Captain was bringing in an underaged girl. But he was a Stark employee- Tony only hired the best- so the ex-SEAL greeted her cordially, keeping his worries to himself and memorizing her name and description for his shift report.

"Miss Mikosama will be staying with us tonight. Please have her cleared for the living areas." At Matthews' affirmative, Steve remembered not seeing Natasha that morning. "And I need to see if Agent Romanoff would mind Miss Mikosama staying in her guest quarters. Do you know if she's here?"

Bill subtly relaxed, relieved that the Captain hadn't suddenly began emulating Mr. Stark. His high security clearance had put him around the Avengers in many different situations, and he'd grown to admire Captain Roger's code of honor and respectful ways. He'd even begun imitating the Captain's manners in his private life, pleasantly surprising his wife of seventeen years... their marriage hadn't been this solid in ages.

"Captain, Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton are out at the moment, but are scheduled to return within the hour. Shall I ask her when they come in?"

Steve waved the offer off. "Thanks, Bill. Just tell her I was looking for her. I'll ask her myself." He turned toward the elevator, pressing the button.

Kagome gave a small bow to the security officer, unknowingly enchanting him, and followed Steve inside. Matthews looked after them bemusedly, the tall blond man of honor and the beautiful dark-haired girl with such pretty manners. He headed back for his desk and started making the security requests.

_I must be getting old, if I'm playing matchmaker. Honestly though, if she was a bit older... they would make a handsome couple._

~oOo~

The common living area of the floor they were on was decorated to match the clean modern lines of the outside. Steve pointed out rooms as they walked through the living quarters, and told her that other floors were dedicated to research, product development for the Avenger's use, and training rooms.

Finally, he led her to a massive bathroom just down the hall from the kitchen. Leaving her to freshen up, he walked back into the kitchen, her sing-song of _ofuro, ofuro_ stuck in his head and driving him nuts. Whatever it meant, it conjured up thoughts of pale skin, perfumed bubbles, and beautiful eyes that reminded him of a winter sky.

He shook his head, scoffing at himself. _Next thing you know, I'll be writing bad poetry and acting the mooncalf._ He was much older than her and had no idea of how he would continue to age. A beautiful young woman like her deserved better...

He stopped in front of the fridge, suddenly feeling like pounding his head against it. Lecturing himself for a fool, he pinched the bridge of his nose as a headache flared up for a brief moment before his serum-enhanced system wiped it out. Thankfully everyone was gone right now, except for Bruce. He had a lab locked down and showed every sign of obsessing over his work all night.

He opened the fridge and pulled out the makings for sandwiches. The era he had grown up in had strictly defined gender roles, so he'd never learned to cook much. And sandwiches were a sure bet, compared to the possibility of half-burnt eggs. He took his time cutting vegetables and piling up everything just right, firmly keeping his thoughts away from Kagome and baths.

He didn't realize how long he'd taken till she walked in, cheeks rosy and hair half-tumbled from the clasp holding it up. A light, sweet floral fragrance teased his nose, recalling a spring appearance at a White House Easter egg hunt long ago. He'd always thought of cherry blossoms as innocent, pure... his current feelings towards the scent were anything but.

"Oh, Miss Mikosama, I didn't know if you liked mustard or mayonnaise." _Good Steve, keep to safe topics. Don't think about how you'd love to kiss those soft pink lips..._ Oh Dear God, he was going to go to hell..._ Please don't look down, _he begged silently even as he relished her touch.

She ran a finger along his short hair to right behind his ear, fixing the little fly-a-way lock that had been sticking out. His earnestness reminded her of sweet-natured Hojo-kun, though she preferred Captain Rogers' take charge attitude to her former classmate's blind ineptness. "Mayonnaise, please, Captain." She stepped away from him and went to sit on the stool across the bar from him. She took a long look around the state of the art kitchen, and the old-fashioned man making sandwiches in it. She began to hum quietly, surprisingly at ease with the domesticity of it.

_He doesn't seem like the cooking type, _she thought, watching him as he fumbled through the kitchen drawers to find a table knife. Unable to find one immediately, he began to ham up the search, declaring that Captain America would find the missing silverware for the good of the world. She giggled, surprising herself, and not three minutes later was laughing merrily at his soliloquy to the knife he finally found, when a thought blindsided her.

_I'd forgotten how difficult it was to adjust to being 'out' of time, although his case isn't quite as bad as mine was. A schoolgirl in a seifuku running about in the Warring States era... I'm lucky that most people thought I was a kitsune in disguise,_ she thought, truly happy for the first time in years. Odd that, but she had to give up all relationships once her her lack of aging was first noticed. _I guess I never understood why mother looked so sad until now_, she thought.

Steve was entranced by the light, musical sound of her laughter. He'd caught that moment of surprise when she first giggled, and had become determined to get her laughing. He pulled on all they'd taught him about acting back when he'd stumped for war bonds, winding up surprising even himself. He'd never been this easy around a woman before. He looked at her pinkened cheeks and sparkling eyes, suddenly getting the strange, but not completely unwelcome feeling of his heart in freefall.

They were finishing their sandwiches and discussing best pickle choices with a variety of different foods when a blond man with a modern bow and quiver walked in, followed by a sultry red-haired woman in a catsuit.

Clint and Natasha were both startled to see a young Japanese girl at the table with Steve, though they hid it well. After a quick glance and raised eyebrow between them, Natasha even joined in the two's discussion, agreeing on their pairing of bread and butter pickles with a well done hamburger on San Francisco sourdough.

Clint looked at his beloved spy oddly for a moment, and shrugged, deciding to go along with them. "I prefer coleslaw to pickles on my burgers," he said, pinning the original Avenger with a sharp look. "Steve?" he asked, cocking his head towards the jailbait. The flush that suffused the Captain's face was alarming, as he was usually very matter-of-fact about females.

"Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, this is Kagome Mikosama. Ms. Romanoff, I'm glad you are here. Miss Mikosama lost her job and apprenticeship indirectly because of me today. I'm going to help her find a job tomorrow, but she has nowhere to stay tonight. I was wondering if she could stay in your guest quarters, if it isn't too much of an imposition."

Natasha wasn't surprised at the Captain's old-fashioned propriety or when the girl shook her head, negating his confession. Steve was always one to put everything on his shoulders.

"Captain," the girl interjected, "The officer was doing his job, never mind what the other one said. Its not the first time truant officers have thought I was skipping school, I just usually have my ID with me to prove my age."

_Truant?_ Looking into the girl's eyes, Natasha saw a dangerous woman, a warrior. _What kind of stupid thinks this is a schoolgirl?_ This woman-no matter her seeming age-had seen battle. And the last name was obviously made up. _Lady Priestess indeed._

Instincts going haywire, she decided to keep a close eye on her. _Men, after all, always discount the female, even when they should know better. And what better way than to keep her with me, as asked? _"Sure," she told them. "I don't mind, and the linens should still be fresh." She cocked her head, "It sounds like you had an unusual day. I thought you had a meeting at Stark's conference center."

Steve mmmhed, and began an explanation of going to a couple of police stations to meet officers who couldn't come to the conference and how he had met Kagome.

Kagome discreetly studied the two as they spoke, and paid special attention to the silent blond who had withdrawn to a better defensible position. She had no delusions that the newcomers didn't see her looking them over. There was a cold wariness to them, and a way of walking that was more of a prowl. _Shinobi_, she would have thought in the Warring States era, but here and now? _Assassins._

She'd need to walk carefully around them, no need to prod a sleeping inugami.

When talk turned to the night's schedule, Natasha was the one who turned to Kagome and asked if she wanted to do something.

"Thank you, but please, no, I don't need to be entertained. Its enough I've disrupted your lives as much as I have. I tend to keep bird's hours, anyways." At the strange looks from the three, she clarified, "Down with the sun, up before dawn breaks. As I told Captain Rogers, I'm a traveler. Going with nature's flow is easiest, when you're her guest."

~oOo~

The next morning, Kagome woke in a comfortable bed not her own. Stilling, she ran through her memory before relaxing. She was at Avenger's headquarters as a guest. She opened her eyes and sat up, stiffening when she saw Natasha watching her.

"You are wary of waking up in strange places, there is no one with your name in existence-not that I am surprised at that, _Lady Priestess_, and the look in your eyes doesn't match your age. I know a soldier's eyes when I see them. Why are you here, and what do you want from Steve?" Natasha demanded, her gaze sharp. While she would like to see the legendary Captain happy, she wasn't about to let some unknown woman around him without thoroughly investigating her.

Kagome covered her mouth as she yawned, conveniently hiding a quick, small smile. _Protective, aren't we?_ Letting her powers rise, she made sure the electronics recording their meeting would only get video, the low buzz engendered when ki met electricity cancelling out their conversation. No goosebumps came up on Natasha's skin, nor did she shiver. _Good, she's not sensitive._

"A woman traveling alone had best be wary of waking in strange beds," she answered, using her favorite trick of lying with the truth. "And as for names, Ms. _Romanoff_... I am not the only one with a false name for protection.

"As for being a soldier..." she became distant for a moment, sadness at the loss of her second family overwhelming her. "...if I could ever have been considered one, I am one no longer. That war is over, though memories are not easily put aside. I am here because the Captain kindly offered me a place to sleep off the streets last night. I had no hand in meeting the Captain, nor do I bear him any ill will. His is a remarkable soul; few are as genuinely kind as he these days."

She shifted, and looked the Russian woman in the eye. "Do you truly see me as a threat?" At Natasha's silence, she gave in. "I will leave then, but not without saying goodbye." Her heart sank. _I'll try to, at least. It seems fate's threads have bound us, and have quickly become too strong for me to break alone... _

Natasha looked at her, piecing together puzzle pieces. "You believe that someone arranged your meeting, and you're here for a reason. What do you know that we don't? Tell me, or you are going to spend the rest of your life wishing you had."

Kagome looked at her coolly, unfazed by the threat. "If I knew something that would affect your nakama, I would tell you, as I appreciate the Avengers' work defeating the aliens that tried to overrun us. You, Ms. Romanoff, have no reason, and no right, to threaten me."

Natasha sat back in her chair. Kagome's body language indicated she was sincere, and confident. Only people secure in who they were and their position could respond so calmly. She definitely wasn't a teenager.

She deliberated on the information she'd gleaned, making up her mind swiftly. "No, you don't have to leave immediately. I believe you," she stood, and began walking to the door. "At least for now, but I will be watching you."

Amused, Kagome got out of bed. "Of course. He is your nakama, I would be disappointed if you didn't protect him."

"I don't have friends, it is best to remember that." Natasha said, as she began to open the door.

Kagome stopped her with a soft answer. "Nakama are not friends, not in the sense you are thinking. They are your comrades, the ones who stand with you in a fight, the ones you trust to take your back. Even if you never see them socially, should they call for help you would be there for them. And it is that way for life. Decades can pass with no word, you can marry, settle and have kids... but with one call you would forsake it all to stand beside them again."

Natasha left, shutting the door firmly, if not loudly.

~oOo~

After getting dressed, Kagome headed to the kitchen thinking to grab a piece of toast. She was very surprised to find Agent Barton sliding fish under the broiler as he made a traditional Japanese breakfast. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder to a daikon, seaweed, and other ingredients. "I'm hopeless with pickled dishes, so if you wouldn't mind..."

Clint observed her knife skills as the girl rapidly rendered the daikon into a blend of half moons and matchsticks. He watched curiously as she took the last third of the radish and poked holes in it with a skewer, stuffing the holes with Thai peppers. She set it aside, and began began mixing the pickling agent.

_She's decent with a knife, but it seems more culinary skill than knife expertise_, he evaluated. _She seems to be quite capable in the kitchen, so why was she working as a dishwasher? _

While Hawkeye was diligently keeping an eye on her, Kagome herself was lost in memories. It had been a long time since she'd been able to use the skills her mother taught her. As she set the paper thin half moons aside to soak, she fondly remembered one of grandpa's crazy monologues about the venerable history of daikon pickles. Her mouth curled up in a warm smile as she made different dishes, each triggering a different memory.

Like Inuyasha... her heart twinged as she remembered his love of pickled radish. _Insult everything I __made, but Ujiko-san's pickles? ...and so what did I do? Placed myself under her and learned more __about pickles that I ever thought existed._

She began to grate the peppered daikon, this time hit with a memory of Shippou tricking Inuyasha into eating the fiery side dish. Even Miroku had a bit of trouble with it, and he was fond of spicy foods.

She was surprised back into the real world when her fingers brushed the grater. Clint had plated the fish, so she busied herself with filling the bowls with miso soup and carrying it to the table. Everything was on the table, and the rice pot wrapped in towels to keep it hot at her place, when he apologized for forgetting the natto.

Her nose wrinkled, "Actually, I can't stand the smell of it. But thank you for all the trouble you've gone through. It has been a long time since I had a traditional breakfast. This looks delicious." _If I hadn't been kidnapped by that youkai that had taken up residence in a soybean field, I might still like natto_, she thought wryly. She was still cautious about eating dried mushrooms as well.

He finished setting the dishes. "I know most Japanese have gone over to a more western-style breakfast, but I lived in the back country there for awhile, and learned to appreciate traditional food. Keeps me going longer without weighing me down. I take it your family is the same?"

_Oh, how very clever you are..._ "Yes, they are..."

Steve and Natasha entered the kitchen, and Kagome took advantage of the diversion to duck any more questions about her family. Natasha glanced over at Barton, amused he'd gone to such lengths to find out more about the girl. She whispered an apology for interrupting as she walked by, and went to her seat. Breaking apart her chopsticks, she dug in without a word. Steve looked at her- and the sticks she ate with so easily- skeptically.

With a chuckle, Kagome motioned to his seat and the fork and spoon there. "Its too early for lessons with hashi," she told him. "I'll show you later if you wish. I have the rice, if anyone needs another helping."

After everyone was served, she noticed there was an extra portion of fish and a stack of clean dishes on the bar. "Is someone missing?," she asked.

Steve nodded, gallantly eating the strange breakfast without complaint, though he would much rather have had bacon and eggs. "Bruce's locked up in his lab. He gets to going and forgets things like eating."

She nodded, and silence descended as they finished their meal.

~oOo~

Kagome volunteered for clean-up, and caught Steve as he brought the last of the dishes from the table. She handed him a plate of riceballs and a mug of miso soup. "_Onigiri_," she said as he stared at the triangles oddly. "Westerners have sandwiches, we have riceballs. I stuffed them with his portion of breakfast. Its not healthy to work so long without proper food."

As he took the food to Banner, his heart melted just a bit more towards the girl. He had despaired of finding a woman in this modern era that wasn't wrapped up in herself and her career... It seemed he was just looking in the wrong places.

_What do you think you are doing..._ he asked himself... _spinning ever-after tales about an eighteen-year-old girl you just met?_ Too bad the answer seemed to be leading him to a potential heartbreak.

~oOo~

Hawkeye had his arrows out, carefully inspecting them for damage. He'd dropped off a ladder yesterday when a stray bullet had clipped his fingers, and the quiver had taken the brunt of the fall. He laid aside the one he was holding, the fletching crushed beyond saving.

Finished with the clean-up, Kagome came into the room, looking around. "Have you seen Captain Rogers? He took your friend breakfast, and I haven't seen him since."

Looking up from his work, Clint pulled out his phone. "I'll call him, it would take too long to look for him."

"Thank you, Agent Barton. I've enjoyed meeting you all, but I've imposed enough. Time to get back to work." She picked up the ruined arrow, inspecting it curiously and recognizing the damage. "Ow," she sympathized as he hung up. "I've landed on my quiver before, its no fun."

"Steve will be here in a moment. You're an archer?"

She nodded, happy to talk to someone else who was. "Mmm-hmm. Game wardens aren't as hard core if you are bow hunting small game for your supper, compared to their glee at catching poachers with guns." She carefully smoothed the broken fletching before handing the arrow back to him.

"What kind of bow do you prefer?" he asked, putting the arrow back in the reject pile. He was curious about her lifestyle now. Bowhunters, while not rare, weren't terribly common in this area. Young women who roughed it while using a bow to hunt were even rarer.

"I prefer a longbow, though I mainly use a short bow to hunt. Unfortunately, my last one was broken when a couple of guys decided the little Japanese girl serving their drinks was fair game. That's why I've been in the city; I've been replacing my things and trying to finish my training in traditional medicine."

"Bad luck there, but its good that you weren't harmed?" He looked at her and she answered the implied question with a nod. "Have you ever used a compound or composite bow before? They've more power than a simple wooden bow."

She shook her head. "No, I learned from a retired Kyuudo instructor. He was fanatical about the old ways." _Lies, lies, lies. He'd be shocked to find out how I really learned..._

"Did you ever win trophies, or make it up to Nationals?"

She was amused by his thinly-disguised interrogation. Too bad he was completely off track. _Notoriety would make disappearing too difficult._ "No, I'm not into competitions. I'm a passable hunter, but no marksman." _Unless we're talking about mononoke or youkai... but no one believes in them anymore._

No sooner than that thought had passed through her head, a flash of distorted, sick youki hit her. She curled in on herself, holding on to the table to try to regain her balance when another wave blew through the building, turning her stomach with the _wrongness_ of it. As the disorientation passed, she realized Clint was speaking to her, asking what was wrong. She looked up and to the left suddenly; toward Bruce's lab, had she known it. "What?" she painfully creaked out, before the next wave almost flattened her.

A crash echoed through the building, making the walls shake. Hawkeye ran over to an intercom and called for an evacuation, saying something about a 'big guy' being loose.

Kagome was stunned. They had an oni? Where had they found it and what had they done to it? She'd been looking for youkai for years without a trace. The anger and pain from the oni infiltrated her senses, waking her power. She gagged, sickened by the waves of tortured youki beating against her. _All these years of missing them, traveling the world to try to find an answer to where the youkai had gone, and they had one here? Left sick and in pain, youki distorted into some perverted parody of what it should be? _

The oni's anger driving her, her powers slipped their leash, and she threw out the caution she'd lived with for years. When Steve and Natasha suddenly appeared, alerted by Clint's mayday, she let her disillusionment speak for her. "You all are sick," she hissed. "What have you done to that oni? Tortured him? Experimented on him?"

She shimmered with power, hair slightly rising in the nimbus of light she resided in. Her pupils had drawn to the smallest of pinpricks, leaving the iris a blue tinged white. Steve could only stare in amazement at the avenging goddess Kagome had become.

Natasha leveled a gun at her.

* * *

Seifuku- the type of school uniform Kagome wore.

Russians have two forms for the last name. Romanoff is the masculine version. It should be Romanova.

I can see Clint being a good cook, and devious enough to use breakfast preparation to evaluate a threat.

I never hear the term archer anymore, except for people who do competitions. People serious about the sport call themselves bowhunters these days. It's popular where I'm at, as deer season starts 2-3 weeks earlier for bowhunters.

Tidbit: Clint's bow is supposed to be a 250lb pull. Normal pull for a man is 55-70lb.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Between Now and Destiny

Chapter Three

* * *

In Asgard's halls, far from the mortal world, Thor jumped to his feet as the bells of the temple began to ring. Sif grabbed his shoulder in amazement as they heard a toll pattern not heard in centuries. Moments later, a shockwave of power washed through the city, and across the city the citizens of Asgard sent up a cheer.

The five companions all looked at each other in amazement and joy, before consternation set in. _Could it be? Had they left one behind?_

Thor took off towards the throne room at a run.

~oOo~

Eyes narrowed at the gun in the spy's hand, Kagome shimmered for a moment, a barrier blossoming around her. Ignoring the woman's demands to stop, she ducked away from Hawkeye's attempt to grab her.

Natasha fired.

The shot ricocheted off the barrier, Clint dropping down as the bullet creased his arm. He swore at the sting, and Kagome took advantage of the distraction to grab the damaged arrow from the table and run for the door.

"JARVIS, lock down!" Hawkeye called out, trying to trap her.

Kagome flared her reiki and scrambled the electronics, easily bypassing the locks. She disappeared through the doorway before the Avengers could lay a hand on her, and dashed down the hall. Not believing her eyes, Natasha ran out into the hallway and began firing in earnest, cursing under her breath as the woman got away without a scratch.

Stunned by the swift turn of events, Steve shouted orders. "Natasha, cease fire! JARVIS, track her and relay her coordinates." He ran after her, following the trail of open doors, Natasha and Hawkeye bringing up the rear.

"Captain, Kagome Mikosama is headed towards Dr. Banner's lab. All electronics in her path have been scrambled. The surveillance cameras and locking mechanisms are offline and are not coming back up."

"Have evacuating personnel try to detain her if they run into her, but not if it interferes with them leaving. We'll follow her in. I just hope we can get there before she meets up with Banner's other side."

Letting the others follow her directly, Barton broke off from the chase and slipped down a little used accessway, gaining on her. He was getting ready to tackle her when she went through a doorway, turned, and buried the arrow in the doorframe.

He slammed into the barrier at full speed and went flying backwards.

~oOo~

When Thor reached the throne room, he was surprised to see Heimdall there, cheerfully talking to the All-Father. Odin slapped his back heartily, and both laughed.

_Things just keep getting stranger..._ Heimdall hadn't moved from his guardpost on the Bifrost in centuries, even after its destruction. And never had he been the jovial sort.

Odin greeted his son loudly, pleased at his quick response to the situation. "Welcome, my son. Today is a great day for all of Asgard. It is fit that you witness the unfolding of a new era."

"Of course, Father. I take it that a child has been found?"

Odin smiled, and picked up a long, slender package sealed with a curious symbol from where it lay next to the throne. He turned to his faithful guard, presenting it to him.

"Heimdall, my old friend," the ancient king of Asgard intoned. "With Thor as witness, I declare your pledge fulfilled. In recognition of your service and accordance with your wishes, I free you to return that which was lost. I send with you my good right hand, my son Thor, to act as intermediary with the peoples of Earth. My blessings upon you and your house, may it stand till Ragnarok takes us all."

~oOo~

The three Avengers stared in amazement at the doorway. Nothing they did allowed them to pass. Hawkeye suddenly turned and jumped up, catching the air conditioner vent. A couple of hard tugs and the cover came off and he tossed it to the side. He jumped again, catching the edges and sliding in feet first. It didn't take long until he was back.

"No good, whatever she did, it extends into the ducts. We'll have to take the long way around. Hall Four C will take us right by Banner's lab, if that's where she's going."

JARVIS replied in the affirmative. "I have tracked Miss Mikosama by the trail of malfunctioning electronics. Curiously, she has taken the shortest path directly to Dr. Banner's lab, without error."

"Which means she knows the layout of the building," Natasha pointed out.

Steve stubbornly glared at her. "I refuse to believe this was a setup, there was too much chance involved." He took off at a run, Natasha casting a worried glance at him before running after him.

When he was slowed by a locked door, she caught up with him. "Steve, you have to know that even if she isn't a spy, she probably won't survive the Hulk. I don't know anyone who stands much of a chance against the Big Guy." He didn't answer her, or even look at her.

Anxiety curdled her belly. Not much fazed her, but the memory of being trapped with the Hulk still had the power to fill her mouth with the metallic taste of fear.

Steve passed through that doorway once it was unlocked and down the next hall, worried, but wondering at Kagome's strange accusations. "Does anyone know what an _oni_ is?"

"Japanese for ogre," Natasha replied. A sudden thought that Steve predated Tolkien had her adding, "Think fairy-tale giant."

They made the final turn and headed down Four C, only to be stopped once again by an invisible barrier. They rounded the corner, and on seeing the rogue pair Barton spoke up, "Like the Hulk, you mean?"

Big Green towered over the girl, fists clenched and teeth bared. As he drew back that massive hand, Steve sent up a prayer for her safety... then watched in shock as she smiled at the monster and started a conversation with him!

~oOo~

Kagome stood in the middle of the hall, the large green hybrid smashing everything around her. She sent out her ki in soothing waves, body softly illuminated by her power. He growled, raising a fist to smash her, but she remained calm, offering no aggression, no defense, only soft words.

"You know what I am, Oni-sama," she began, "Your instincts will tell you that. But I am not here to destroy you. I wish to help correct the evil done to you, and return health to you." Peace and sincerity flowed from her, and the Hulk stopped his rampage to consider her words.

Peering at her, he responded, "Not hurt Hulk?"

Her face softened, "No hurt, Hulk-sama. I know you have been wronged. You did not agree to this cursed union, did you?"

He grunted and she took it as a no.

"You are a river spirit, are you not? I have seen your kind before, playing with boulders, chasing fish through the rushing waters, river weed swaying from your many horns."

He slammed a hand through the wall, growing angry again. She kept speaking, not worried for her safety. "Do you remember the water whispering long long ago about the destruction of a jewel of power?" At his slight nod, she continued. "I am the one who destroyed it."

He grunted, snarling, not liking the contradiction between her claim and appearance. "Girl."

"I look like a girl. An enemy trapped me in the void between space and time for three days, and it... changed me."

"Strange girl." he rumbled, but he calmed slightly. Slamming his fist into the rubble again, he sat on the resulting pile and watched her intently.

She tacitly acknowledged his cease fire with a bow. "Yes, I've always been a strange girl. I had lots of spirit friends. And now that I'm here with you, I will be your friend. I won't let him continue to treat you like an invader."

With that soul-felt declaration, she won the tentative trust of the Hulk. _Poor Inuyasha would have been reduced to fits over adding yet another to my collection of youkai friends, if I was still with him._ "Hulk-sama, what would you like me to do for you? I cannot separate the two of you, not without the death of one. Do you wish healing and to continue to share that body, or would you prefer the hope of rebirth?"

"Smash fun."

She gave him a huge smile, and moved closer, placing her hand on his finger. "Yes, smashing is fun. You want to live with him, then?"

He looked closely at her hand, seeing what normal mortals could not. "Girl burn?"

She nodded, showing him her other hand. "I'm Kagome. I was burned saving a child's spirit from hell. I journeyed a long time with youkai and halflings, such as yourself. That they have left this world makes me sad."

He considered her a moment, then leaned over and picked her up. "Not sad. Hulk here." He tucked her in his arm, cradling her like a doll. "Heal," he commanded, but added an addendum. "Hurt, Hulk smash."

She happily assented, ignoring the shocked babble from the hall.

~oOo~

None of the three who had followed her could believe this. Natasha had called Fury the moment they had run into the second barrier, and even he thought the whole scenario was incredulous. "And you can't get through the doorway, even though there's nothing there?"

"No. Clint's tried the ceiling access and the electronics crawl space, but can't get through either way. We can only watch..." Her eyes went wide as the Hulk picked the girl up. She bit her lip, expecting a shower of blood any moment. The Hulk's next move had her tuning out Fury until his shouting finally reached her.

"Director... I wouldn't believe this if I wasn't seeing it. Have you patched into the surveillance cameras yet?"

She listened as he barked orders out on his own end. He finally came back, and told her, "All electronics from the kitchen to where you are at are out of commission. I can't believe you all let a stranger in. I want her in custody by the time I get out there."

The scene outside the wrecked lab changed suddenly. "Nick," she said, interrupting his tirade at one of the shipmen on his end. "I can't believe this. He's holding her like she's a glass doll, and the room is filling up with light."

"What do you mean by 'light'?" he said, growing more and more worried for his team.

"Its shimmering with colors, like the Northern Lights were stolen from the sky and wrapped around them. The warmth, even from here, its so incredible..." her voice broke, as one of the lights flickered over her. A tear snaked down her face, and she looked over at Steve, who's face was completely wet.

"Tell Fury... it feels like love... like God Himself is holding you." Steve said, wondering at this miraculous girl and the way she had shown up in their lives. Was she an angel? An emissary from another world?

Fury broke off, staring at his phone like it was about to bite him. "I'm on my way." Taking a note passed to him, he added, "And it looks like we're getting a visit from Asgard, see if Thor can't get you through to her before the Big Guy changes his mind."

~oOo~

In the wrecked hallway, Kagome was comfortably nestled in her patient's immense arms. The full body contact helped, as the scientist had made an absolute mess of the assimilation. Radiation wasn't easy to deal with in the first place, and for him to carry such a lethal amount...

Patterning her breaths, she sank into a trance. Her reiki was better than any human diagnostic equipment, more thorough by far than even the most advanced FMRI. Bit by bit, she sank her reiki and consciousness into his body, finding the twisted areas that had been stuck between man and oni, creating pain.

She followed each body system, mapping out the problems and committing them to memory. When she went through the brain, she saw it was more human than oni, explaining how the Hulk could speak coherently, an oddity for his race. Finally, her spirit self dove into his cells, examining the DNA, noting the broken and misaligned proteins.

The project was huge. Besides the chemical and mechanical repairs, she needed to draw the radiation from him or her work would be for nothing. Her eyes fluttered open. "Hulk-sama, I need to draw out the radiation first. Do you remember if your other half had a metal container with a skull and crossbones on it? I can put the poison in it."

He grunted and stood, carrying her into the lab. Finding a container for radioactive waste, she told him to carry it to where he wanted to sit while she drained the pollution from him. Comfortably settled on the rubble in the hall he had smashed into an approximated recliner, she laid her hands on his shoulders. "This will be uncomfortable, but if it starts to hurt, let me know and I will stop."

He grunted his agreement, and she sank back into trance. Sweat broke out on her forehead as the container filled with black poison.

~oOo~

Thor and Heimdall arrived a hour after Kagome had begun to remove the gamma poisons. The Big Guy was half asleep, pain lessening with each drop of poison removed. However, she was pale, her lips carrying only the smallest blush of color.

Thor immediately tried to go through the barrier, only to be stopped as resolutely as Hawkeye had been earlier. Staring up at Heimdall as the normally taciturn warrior laughed uproariously, he stood and rubbed his sore rear.

"How did she get left behind?" he asked Heimdall. "A child that powerful, surely you've seen her before." Heimdall stopped laughing, and looked at the scene inside the barrier with warmth.

"There was a prophecy only she could fulfill. It took a long time for her to gain the strength and heart needed... indeed, she has lived and been reborn a number of times. I believe she is the ninth or tenth incarnation of that soul born to this world.

"But this incarnation, starting her fifteenth yearmark, she was strong enough to survive the enemies ranged against her; fulfilling the prophecy and saving all the worlds connected by Yggdrasil. I remained silent about her existence to give her time to heal, keeping her free from duty as her mother desired. But that power wave was felt by all in Asgard, and now Odin wishes her to take up the position she was born into."

"Wait," Steve said, trying to process what he'd just heard. "Miss Mikosama saved all the worlds connected by Yggdrasil...? You mean not just the Earth, but everywhere? She's only eighteen!"

Heimdall's lips curled in a slight smile. "Age is quite relative, soldier. And Kagome accomplished her task by the time she was sixteen."

"How did she do that?" Steve asked, wondering how anyone could send their child off to war that young.

"Once the Earth shared its bounty with both humans and the earth spirits. A man desired one of Kagome's previous incarnations, and gave himself over to those spirits in an effort to claim her. He did not know the spirits hated her, and after they took his body, they killed her.

"This incarnation, Kagome was strong enough in heart and soul to defeat him, so it was arranged that she would be able to travel five hundred years into the past to battle him. It took almost a year of keeping commitments on both sides of time, but she defeated him and the jewel that endangered all our worlds. But she was locked into a void for three Earth days. It has affected her... though she came through it better than most."

Thor looked at him, "That would drive even a god mad. The void is infinity in an eyeblink."

Heimdall nodded. "The halfling boy she loved followed her and kept her sane. And she came out as she is now, perpetually at the cusp of sixteen, perpetually on the move, lest the unscrupulous cage her. In a way, she will be better off now. She won't have to hide that she doesn't age, as being a child of Asgard isn't something scientists can isolate and use."

Natasha spoke up, "So that's why her eyes don't match her face. Just how old is she?"

Thor looked at the Russian and laughed. "Immeasurably, with her stay in the void. But now we need to figure out how to get though her barrier, before she gets lost in healing."

"It is too late for that. Hopefully, this being will allow me to retrieve my daughter."

And with that, Heimdall walked through the barrier, leaving several stunned faces and a blast of sparks behind.

~oOo~

Kagome had finished pulling out poisons, and had gone on through the body of the Hulk, repairing damage, reconnecting synapses, and eliminating structural flaws in the alternate form that created the pain that kept him constantly infuriated. There was just so much wrong, she couldn't find a spot to stop. Relentlessly she worked, unaware of the outside world and her failing body.

Heimdall walked up to the Hulk respectfully, kneeling as the big guy began to get agitated. "Great warrior, you hold my daughter, who has lost herself in healing you. If she stays away too long, we'll never have the joy of her presence again. May I call her back, before that happens? The healing can continue, but only if she doesn't die."

With a grunt, the Hulk allowed the Asgardian to come closer. "We cannot remove her from you until she is called back. Would you allow Thor and I to call her back while you hold her?

He grunted, strangely fine with holding her in his arms for a while longer.

Heimdall motioned to Thor, who hesitated at the doorway, testing the air with his hand. Satisfied the barrier had broken with the other's passing, Thor went to the opposite side of the Hulk, greeting his fellow green warrior cheerfully.

Seeing her for the first time, Thor was astonished by the delicacy of the girl. "All that power in such a dainty form. She looks nothing like you, Heimdall. A blessing for her, truly."

"Shall we go a few rounds in the battle circle, my prince? She has reincarnated, she looks as her mortal parents do." Heimdall knelt on one side, reaching over the slightly snarling Hulk and touching the soul centers at her heart and lower abdomen. Thor knelt on the other side, hands on her forehead and stomach. At an unspoken cue, Heimdall began the ceremony.

"Child of the gods," he crooned, a subtle melody, a small magic lilting through his words, "...come back. You are lost in your healing, your patient is safe. Come back, beloved of us all."

Thor took up the next line, a golden shimmer beginning to flow over her. "Kagome, come back, do not leave us on the shore, watching your longboat depart for the gray havens. Do not leave us for Death's cold table. Soul-Child of Heimdall, come back."

Heimdall called to her once more, the magic of the third repetition now strong in his voice. "Child of Asgard, child of earth, come back to us. The sweetest fruit still hangs on the tree, the strongest honey is in the living oak. Beloved of two worlds, my daughter, come back."

The healing light filling the room faltered and began retreating into back into her. She left the trance and lapsed into a natural slumber, her raven hair spilling over a green arm that gradually faded to pale flesh, and diminished into a human limb once again. Bruce Banner stared at the girl in his arms, finally looking to the gods kneeling to either side of him him.

"She... _him_... the anger..." he couldn't get much out, just sitting there poleaxed as Heimdall gathered the girl into his arms, a golden shimmer occasionally washing over her.

"She is one of our precious ones, the children who were born to us of mortal lovers," Thor quietly explained, looking at the retreating Heimdall with a smile.

"And what she did?" Bruce asked, his logic-driven mind recovering quickly. "I've never felt this good, even before my other half."

"The halfling children of Asgard and Earth combined the best of both races and resonated with a unique power, one not found in humans or my people." Thor said, digging up old memories. He looked at Bruce, his serious gaze hammering home what the girl was capable of. "She could have purified your other side, leaving nothing in you but your humanity, but instead she offered you both healing. The power it takes to do this..." He shook his head, and stood. "I've never heard of one more powerful than she."

~oOo~

Heimdall carried his daughter to where the Avengers waited, bent on finding a place for his extraordinary daughter to rest comfortably. "She will sleep now, is there a place to lay her?"

Natasha spoke up, her duty to S.H.I.E.L.D. overcoming the reserve she felt about the woman. "Her things are in the guest room on my wing, she can rest there. Director Fury is on his way. He has questions."

"He can have answers when she awakes." The hard look in his eyes promised retribution if anyone thought otherwise.

* * *

I hope it meets expectations! Chapter Four is the last chapter, and thanks to everyone who reviewed, is much better than what it began as. Thank you all so much for reading and your encouragement!


	4. Chapter 4

Between Now and Destiny

Chapter Four

* * *

Three hours later, Fury stormed into the building, demanding to see the girl immediately. Thor, waiting in the living room for the director with Steve, Clint, and Natasha, refused, of course.

"Wake her before she recovers, and you could very well kill her. It took a massive amount of power to heal Bruce and his 'friend' as much as she did," he explained. When Fury looked as though he was going to go anyways, Thor stood, holding out a hand in refusal. "Heimdall, her soul-father, guards her sleep. He is the most formidable warrior of Asgard. Ask what you will of me and the others, but let her rest."

Thwarted, Fury quizzed Steve relentlessly, not believing how _he_ of all people got in this mess. "So, you met her at the police station where she was being detained, followed her into a rough neighborhood where she was held in high esteem by gang members, heard her pretty much verify she cast curses, and saw her use some sort of power with your own two eyes... and even after all this, you _still_ brought her here?" He clenched his jaw, trying not to say something he'd regret later.

Tony came in the room, pulling off a set of driving gloves. "Which is completely his prerogative," he said, locking eyes with the director. "Despite the number of agents you have watching us here, this remains a privately held building of which he is a legal tenant. He could have a seance with a voodoo queen, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, three transvestites and their trained ape for all I care. And since I own the building..." He shrugged, enjoying Fury's escalating temper. "In fact, that actually sounds fascinating..."

The look on Fury's face tickled him, and Stark ramped up his cheerfulness to bait him more, keeping a solemn face though it was terribly hard. "Plus, she seems to be the long lost body-hopping daughter of one of our allies, and apparently did a bang up job of healing my buddy Bruce and his little friend, so the old man did the right thing."

Tony dropped to the sofa, letting his smile break out. "I didn't know you liked jail bait, Captain. Want to be careful with that, we don't let old men marry thirteen-year-olds any more. Too Jerry Lee. Wait, _Capsicle,_" he drawled out the name. "I forgot. After your time. Makes me wonder though... you did get past clubbing women and dragging them off to your cave before you froze the family jewels, didn't you?"

Steve glared at him, and Thor chuckled. "She's no child, Tony, and you don't want to anger her soul-father. Heimdall can best me any day. I wouldn't doubt Kagome could give me trouble, herself."

"Hey, Bong Brain, long time no see. Is it really true she's a time traveler, and saved the world way back when? JARVIS relayed everything he could pick up after telling me someone blew the electronics." Tony flipped through his handheld, playing with some of the coverage he had.

Thor grinned. "Worlds. The known universe owes it's existence to her and her friends."

"Wow, what a looker." He threw the picture he'd clipped from footage up on the large room screen. "Think Pepper would be upset if I ask her hop to my body? A bit of soul-sharing in the interest of scientific discovery..."

Pushed to his limit, Steve jumped to his feet, heading for Tony, fist clenched. Thor quickly moved to restrain him. "Let me go, Thor. I'll..."

"My thanks, Soldier, for coming to my daughter's defense. But I believe, as her soul-father, my right to challenge comes before yours."

"Challenge?" Tony looked at the newly arrived and steaming Heimdall, then Thor... surprised that the easy-going demi-god was scowling at him too.

"Your disrespect for the only child of Heimdall's line, a noblewoman of Asgard, will cost you, Anthony Stark. For such a transgression, there are two avenues open to you." Thor intoned, his demeanor suddenly switching to a truly princely mien. "You fight Heimdall hand to hand as you are, or pay weregild for the slight, the lady's weight in silver."

"I think Pepper will be a little gleeful when she gets a recording of this meeting." Natasha whispered to Clint as she smiled at Tony; a wicked, dirty, _oh please press your luck_ smile.

"O-kay, looks like I really stepped in it this time. My apologies for going over the line. Not that I'm looking forward to getting my face rearranged, but which would most show my sincerity?"

"Either will recompense the slight." Thor let go of the Captain, who had finally stopped making a fist.

"But the manly thing to do is let him clean the floor with me, right?"

"I have a third way." They all turned to the door where Kagome stood. "And if he insulted me, I'm the one who gets to choose."

"What is this 'third way'?" Heimdall rumbled.

"Lifelong support for the charities I pick. That will be more cash long-term than my weight in silver, and more satisfying to _me_ than beating him bloody. Besides, according to our conversation, I have a debt to him and the others as well."

She bowed deeply, long hair almost sweeping the floor. "I apologize for my rash words and destroying your locks and cameras. The anger and pain Hulk-sama was in... well, I wasn't thinking. My only coherent thought was to get to the oni who needed my help."

"You keep calling the Big Guy an oni, but you seemed shocked there was one here earlier." Natasha pointed out. "Surely you've seen the pictures in newspapers?"

"I've seen pictures of Hulk-sama, yes, but never of Dr. Banner. There was no correlation to make me think of youkai, especially as they vanished without a trace long ago. I thought that he was augmented like Captain Rogers but enjoyed body modification." She shrugged. "I never connected the Captain's strength and longevity with youkai either, until I felt the youki in him at the police station."

"Wait, what?" Steve asked, echoing the clamor coming from the rest of them. "I have... _youki?..._ whatever that is... I'm like Bruce?"

She shook her head, even as she answered, "Youki is the type of ki held by a youkai, or nature spirit."

"You are speaking of the same ki spoken of in martial arts?" Fury clarified.

"Yes. The spiritual energy of the body... the name of ki varies only in regards to the type of being emitting it." She turned back to the Captain, explaining her previous comment. "You will never be like Dr. Banner. You actually have a great deal more youki than he, and of a different kind. The main difference is that your youki is stable and not overwhelming your human blood. I would surmise that you possessed spiritual power of your own before your change."

"Spiritual power?"

"You believe in your God completely and without doubt, Captain. Your belief in Him is as ingrained in you as your code of honor. That utter faith and devotion imparts spiritual power."

"Like where it says if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains?"

Her face lit up, "Exactly!" She gestured in the direction of the labs. "Hulk-sama, though, has heavily distorted youki and the change from human form to oni form cannot complete, which is painful. In addition, oni are not smart-they are closer to beasts in intelligence-but the human's mind is dominant in this case."

"And since he can understand and think, it wars with his instinct and what his thoughts should be, leaving him confused, which he reacts to with anger." Natasha said, eyes thoughtful.

"That's one of the things I will try to correct. But I'm confused as to where he got oni blood, as I haven't found a trace of youkai in all the years I've spent looking for them. I thought they vanished like the dinosaurs."

Heimdall spoke up. "Kagome, the youkai didn't vanish. They, and the _others_ native to earth despaired of living with humanity, and departed for the planet of Maikai about a hundred and fifty years ago. It is possible that some did not depart, and were caught by the unscrupulous."

~oOo~

After a moment of silence at Heimdall's revelation, Fury made the mistake of wondering out loud if the super-soldier program could be re-instituted with this knowledge. The resulting argument was anything but civilized.

Kagome was completely incensed that he had so little regard for life, whether human or non-human. She was so upset, her powers were flaring, showing as shimmers and sparks even to those with no extra _sight_.

Once Steve understood that an _other_ had died in the making of the serum, and that they were a people with the same hopes, dreams, and desires that humanity had, he was firmly on Kagome's side.

Tony ranted that S.H.I.E.L.D. had yet to learn their lesson, all the while hacking the Pentagon and military servers to gather documentation on the super-soldier program using the new reference terms.

Clint watched them all silently, while Natasha kept tensing whenever Kagome made a sudden move.

"We should have never come back to Earth," Thor told Heimdall, effectively shutting down the argument before it got physical. Nick rubbed a hand over his face, realizing how despicable he must sound.

"It is too late for hindsight, Thor Odinson. But the All-Father must have _seen_ this trouble, as he sent an answer for an argument that hadn't yet started. Where is that which he sent with to me?" In answer, the blond warrior walked over to the closet, drawing out the package Odin had given Heimdall before they left. Passing it to the Bifrost's guardian, he waited with solemnity as Heimdall presented it to Kagome. "Once, you were given a gift by a mountain spirit and used it courageously to defeat an enemy of all Yggdrasil. This day, I return to you what was lost."

He released the hold he had on it, and power sparked as it rose slightly. Hearing the call from inside the wrappings, Kagome opened her hands in welcome, watching amazed as it floated to her. As her hands touched it, the seal crumbled to dust and the wrappings faded away, leaving her spirit bow from the sacred mountain of Asuza.

They both glowed briefly, the light falling away as they connected- a much stronger bond than she had expected with their long separation. She clutched the bow, feeling the power surge between them as the bow augmented her own power. And something new... knowledge of what she could do with the bow. She remembered Inuyasha's connection with Tessaiga and instinctively knew it was the same.

Seeing her finally emerging from the moment of communion, Heimdall announced, "In the past, the strongest of our mutual children were the emissaries between Asgard and Earth, reconciling the two cultures and acting as intermediaries. Odin All-Father has designated you, Kagome, as that emissary now that our two worlds are once again allied. No more are you an immortal alone amongst the dying, but a lost daughter come home; to be féted, draped with purple, and be-ringed with gold and fine stones."

She considered him for a moment. "And how does this influence their plans for renewing the super-soldier project?"

"Asgard is allied with the world of Maikai. We would not look upon one ally consuming another with favor." He saw the sudden hope in her eyes, and knew he had to break her heart again. Shaking his head, he told her, "I have looked for your comrades, but over five hundred years have passed, and the old ones are reclusive. The one you were bound to convinced them that leaving was the better choice, but died before they left."

She flinched, and his guilt grew. "I must confess, for the censure of all. Had I been more vigilant, you would have returned to that time and he who loved you. But another in Asgard watched you without my knowledge. Secure that none would challenge my house, I did not keep closer watch on my fellow Asgardians. You lost your mate to my pride... for in his rage at being denied the item of power you destroyed, he broke the portal and erased the knowledge used to create it, stranding you here."

She looked at him with eyes rapidly filling with tears, the terrible burden she had carried for so long easing, allowing her to finally put the old grief to rest. "You mean, it wasn't my fault? My fear didn't keep it closed?"

Heimdall knelt before her. "No, it was not your fear. You may lay it all at the feet of my arrogance. In penance, I spent the last five centuries as the sentinel of the Bifrost, protecting Asgard as I failed in protecting you." His eyes heated, the old anger surfacing. "But it was in vengeance that I destroyed the bastard for his presumption."

Thor looked at him, eyes widening with understanding, "That's why you called out Hel's husband? All Father told us was that you had the right of absolute vengeance and banned Loki and I from attending the battle."

"The All-Father did not wish Loki to be tempted to help his son-in-law. As for that odious bastard, I dismantled him, until no limb connected to another and there wasn't an inch of myself or the battle circle not painted with his blood." He held his soul-daughter's gaze as he told her, watching as her tears dried and eyes grew big.

Taken aback slightly at the ferociousness in his voice, she decided it was best to respond as though he was a youkai. Holding her hand over her heart, she inclined her head and replied formally. "Thank you, soul-father. This one is honored by the punishment exacted to avenge my honor and lost mate. No more will I grieve, believing my word broken by my fear."

~oOo~

Steve didn't know how to feel, hearing about someone she obviously loved and still had feelings for. But then, he still carried Peggy in his heart, and couldn't imagine her not holding that part of him, even in death. True, he _chose_ to put victory over his heart, and Kagome had that choice taken from her, but the outcome was the same. Both of them left without part of their heart, with long years parting them from the one they loved.

His heart beat faster as he realized she would know how he felt, the disorientation a displacement in time could create. And if he turned out to be as timeless as she... then the difference of age didn't matter. In fact, since he had slept through the years, was there really all that much separating them?

Hearing her last words, hope kindled a spark into a flame.

~oOo~

Kagome marshaled her thoughts, and pulled herself together. Her personal demons would have to wait. "What would your government say to my becoming the emissary, Director Fury?" She looked over at him. "For my jurisdiction over matters pertaining to Asgard and the tree?"

Fury held up his phone. "I can call the president now, ask him where he wants the Embassy built. This is actually a position we have long wished existed."

"Even though Dr. Banner and Captain Rogers will be under my aegis, as avatars of a non-human species?" Her eyes grew cold as he sputtered.

"Hold on, they are both part of the U.S. government in perpetuity..."

"So now I can level a charge of enslavement of an allied species? They are hanyou now, and humanity has a long history of classifying hanyou as non-human."

Another argument ensued, though Heimdall was happy to note the mischievous twinkle that gradually came to light in Kagome's eyes.

~oOo~

That night, she walked alongside Steve in the park nearby. "Where has Dr. Banner been? I have a lot of healing left to do on him, as well as counseling him on accepting Hulk-sama."

"According to Tony, he's back in his lab, conducting all sorts of tests. Trying to get a scientific view on what you've done so far I guess."

She looked at a tree with thick, low branches. With a _hup_, she tried to jump up to them, only to miss. Two warm hands went around her waist and boosted her up onto the branch. She scrambled closer to the trunk as he pulled himself up. "Thank you. I knew someone, back then, who could always be found up a tree, especially when he needed to think."

Surprisingly, he didn't feel any jealousy, even though the one she spoke of was probably the mate she lost. After her argument on his and Banner's behalf, it was obvious how large her heart was. "You do have a lot to think about. From an itinerant wanderer and healer arrested for truancy to Ambassador Yggdrasil, Lady Miko of Heimdall's line in the span of twenty-four hours. It's almost a real life Cinderella story."

"Ugh. You would think Mr. Stark would have been grateful I prevented the rearrangement of his face. Instead he hangs that title around my neck."

"What are your plans now?"

Catching a glimpse of their shadow, she smirked. "Short term, I'm going to keep Natasha jumping. Maybe open a betting pool as to when she'll finally realize that my combat skills are only used against non-humans. Healing Dr. Banner too, of course."

"Tony might ask you to heal him. Eliminate the need for that arc reactor in his chest."

"Hmm. Only if I'm working with a surgeon. Drawing poison out of a body is my limit, and it doesn't have near the mass metal does."

"That makes sense. We almost lost you clearing the radiation out of Bruce's friend." He reached up and grabbed the branch above him, leaning back and wishing he could see stars through the branches. "What about long term?"

She looked his way, wondering if she imagined the hopefulness in his tone. "I'm going to have to go to Asgard first, to learn more about their culture and society. I know humanity and all its foibles, but the people and customs of Asgard are strangers to me. It might take a few years."

He stopped looking out into the sky and shifted to where he was facing her. Reaching for her hands, he sat there a moment, running a thumb along the soft skin of her inner wrist.

Drumming up her courage, she softly told him, "You know, Captain, in ancient Japan, what you are doing would be considered very intimate. Only lovers and the closest of friends would touch the inside of the wrist."

He looked into her eyes, as she leaned forward out of the shadow of the tree, and saw what he'd been looking for. Her small hands engulfed in his, he gently ran his thumbs over the delicate skin once more. "Then maybe you should call me Steve."

~oOo~

She spent the next five years with her soul-father's people, learning their ways... and frequently escaping to earth. Countries around the world welcomed her, and she was able to forge a strong alliance between the realms. During the talks with Japan, she was even able to sneak over to see her family, though it took a while to adjust to Souta as the father of two.

One night, as she escaped the stultifying air of yet another diplomatic function she ran across Steve hiding on the same balcony she'd fled to. Looking out at the stars, she had a curious thought.

"Steve, did I ever tell you thank you for standing up to your promise?"

"Hmm?" He leaned against the wall, dazzled by the vision she made illuminated by moonlight. "What promise was that?"

"You said you'd help me find a job. Thank you... I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy it, even on stuffy nights like tonight."

"Your father and Odin deserve most of the credit... but, I'll say you're welcome, anyways."

They enjoyed the silence together, watching the stars turn and twinkle, like diamonds lit from within dancing in a dark ballroom. He checked his pocket once more and, feeling the reassuring press of the small box inside, walked over to the railing and offered her his arm. "Would you care to dance, my Lady Miko?"

She looked up into his eyes and smiled, placing her hand upon his arm as he escorted her back to the party. And as her fingers interlaced with his on the dance floor, she watched the cord of fate joining them turn dark crimson.

They danced the night away, following destiny into ever-after.

* * *

My thanks once more to the people who reviewed, this chapter owes everything to you.

I'm a mythology fan, so I drew on that for some items: Odin traded his eye for the ability to see the future.: Loki's children were monsters, especially the ones he had with Frida the Frost Giant... the Midgard Serpent who will devour Yggdrasil at Ragnarok, the Fenrir wolf, who will start Ragnarok by killing Odin, and the goddess Hel, who reigns over the underworld. She's commonly called the bitch goddess, extraordinarily vengeful, so I could see some of that bitterness coming from losing her consort to Asgard. (It helps that she's a player in another story I'm working on.): Weregild... we might have fewer frivolous lawsuits if we had to pay weregild. Silver because it was a slight, had he truly impugned her honor, it would have been gold.

Why did I use Japanese terminology... _youkai, hanyou, youki_? Kagome used the words she knew. Had she been of European descent, I'd have used triton for river oni, halfling for hanyou, etc...

I get amused at people who think one being could hold two types of ki. The potential for ki can be inherited, but it's expression will rely on what type of being holds it. Ergo a hanyou born of a youkai and miko may be balanced, but their expression of ki is going to be youki, as the supernatural blood trumps the natural.

The Jerry Lee comment, for you young people- Jerry Lee Lewis was one of the most popular rock stars of the fifties, until he married his thirteen-year-old cousin. The backlash destroyed his career. Watch _Great Balls of Fire_ to learn more.

I hope everyone enjoyed _Between Now and Destiny._ I had a great deal of fun writing it. -SilverontheRose


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